In the 13-year period of 2005 through 2017, canines killed 433 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 66% (284) of these deaths. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76% of the total recorded deaths. | More »

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Seattle, WA - On April 22, 2009, DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks by creating common sense laws, releases its first multi-year report on U.S. dog bite fatalities. The report covers a 3-year period -- from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2008 -- and analyzes data gathered from 88 dog bite incidences that caused death to a U.S. citizen.

The report documents dog breed information, property information (where the attack occurred) as well as dog bite victim age information.

Of the 88 fatal dog attacks recorded by DogsBite.org, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 59% (52). This is equivalent to a pit bull killing a U.S. citizen every 21 days during this 3-year period.

The data also shows that pit bulls commit the vast majority of off-property attacks that result in death. Only 18% (16) of the attacks occurred off owner property, yet pit bulls were responsible for 81% (13).

Pit bulls are also more likely to kill an adult than a child. In the 3-year period, pit bulls killed more adults (ages 21 and over), 54%, than they did children (ages 11 and younger), 46%.

In the 21-54 age group, pit bulls were responsible for 82% (14) of the deaths. The data indicates that pit bulls do not only kill children and senior citizens; they kill men and women in their prime years as well.

Between the ages of 0-4, the study reveals that 14% (12) of the fatal attacks involved a "watcher," a person such as a grandparent or babysitter watching the child. Of these attacks, 75% (9) involved a grandparent type.

I'm putting the pit bull advocacy experts in the same class as the economic experts that were screaming, "Buy! Buy! Buy!" a year ago. The reality is self evident. I only wish there was a pit bull advocacy stock I could short sell.

Nothing to see here folks... move along. 52 deaths, in the span of a few years, are perfectly acceptable when you're running an advocacy scam.

Honesty Helps | 4/22/2009 1:25 PM | FlagI do wish that records were kept on the reproductive status of these cases. That could only be of great help to establishing neutering programs for all dogs, but especially the pits. Altering can make a difference in temperament but it is not a guarantee by any means. And I do wish that these dogs were studied instead of euthanized so we might learn something as to why they do what they do. It's just so hurtful that it continues period.

Anonymous | 4/22/2009 3:22 PM | FlagIt would be almost impossible to study such dogs, as they would either have to exist in an artificial type environment that is nothing like that of a household pet, or people and animals would have to be exposed to the very real danger of death from their attacks. It's about time that somebody not in the pocket of dog breeders and dog fighters was studying this issue. The pit nutters can bellyache, howl, and moan, but they can't argue with hard data and hard facts. Of course, it won't stop them from trying. Fortunately, when they do, they usually reveal themselves to be just as vicious as their dogs. Not very good PR.

Honesty Helps | 4/22/2009 5:09 PM | FlagYou're right there, Anon, I've thought the same thing, how can they study them? It's just like the nutters saying that it is a matter of raising them right, how do they know unless they put the dog in a situation so they can correct the behavior? That would place pets and people in jeopardy. You can't say your dog won't do something if the dog has never been in the situation to display behavior to correct. But I do wish there was a way to do it.

Anonymous | 4/22/2009 5:49 PM | FlagWe already know why they do what they do: they were bred to act in certain ways different from other types of dogs. Dogs developed a certain social code so they could live together peacefully. But such a dog would not fight another dog for no reason or to keep on fighting despite signs of submission from the other dog. Fighting breeds have been so throughly perverted through breeding that these things are not only possible, but expected. When pit bull owners learn these things and own their dogs appropriately, there will be far fewer attacks and deaths. However, since every pit bull advocacy web site is geared to telling the world that pit bulls are just like any other dog and are solely the product of their training, it is now painfully obvious that this problem will only be solved by those outside the pit bull loving community.

Honesty Helps | 4/22/2009 7:31 PM | FlagI have said for awhile that we are in denial about these breeds. We don't deny the hunting instinct we bred into them, nor the guarding instinct nor the herding instinct, so why deny the vicious instinct we bred into the pits? They say it is a matter of "raising them right". Just try to stop a retriever from getting a ball, no matter how you raise them. Try to keep a Newfie out of the water by "raising it right". Besides I have yet to figure out what that means anyway. So as long as we are in denial, there will be problems.

These dogs are a product of their breeding. They have been intentionally bred to have these behaviors and characteristics for hundreds of years.

This is a manmade problem.

bitbypit | 4/23/2009 1:07 AM | FlagIt has been noted that a fatal pit bull attack occurred on the very day that DogsBite.org released its multi-year fatality report. The report shows the alarming, disproportionate number of fatal attacks by pit bulls.

FoolMeOnce | 4/23/2009 6:21 AM | FlagBitbypit, I would like to know if you could also keep a tally of the number of people seriously maimed by these monsters.

Anonymous | 4/23/2009 6:49 AM | FlagNo one is supposed to be tracking this information, since the dog lobby successfully terminated collection of DBRFs by the CDC in 2000.

This is why the dog lobby hates DBO...They now operate in a manner reminescent of the tobacco companies during the 50's.

Great job DBO...Pit Breeders get an "F"!

bitbypit | 4/23/2009 11:02 AM | FlagStarting in 2009, pit bull attacks reported in the media that result in severe injury are tracked and recorded by DogsBite.org. This information will be released at the end of 2nd quarter.

FoolMeOnce | 4/23/2009 11:07 AM | FlagWhoa!!! I did not know that about the CDC no longer tracking dog bites. A pitnutter was lambasting someone that posted the CDC dog bite statistics from 1998. The nutter gave him a hard time because he didn't cite anything recent. Now I know why...how the heck did they manage to get dog-bite report gathering illegal?

FoolMeOnce | 4/23/2009 11:13 AM | FlagThanks, BitbyPit. Every 21 days, a horrific death. That figure should be enough said. One of the recent articles said that a young little victim was "bitten" by a pit-bull. "Bitten" evokes a much different impression than "devastatingly mauled," which is actually what happened. The picture of Frankie, the thought of Kristi missing half her arm tissue, the thought of people's eyes and ears being ripped from their heads -- pitnutters call these "bites". They ain't called pitnutters for nuttin'!

bitbypit | 4/23/2009 12:21 PM | FlagThere is no evidence that the CDC has stopped tracking dog bites that result in severe injury or death. The issue in regards to the CDC is that fatal attacks are NO LONGER tracked by dog breed. This conclusion is drawn due to the fact that since 1998, there has yet to be another CDC fatal dog attack report that involves breed information.